Travelling is a wonderful way to discover ourselves and the world we’re living in, to widen our horizons, to get out of our comfort zones, gain new perspectives, discover new cultures, have enriching encounters and so much more. We want to encourage people totravel and to prepare travellers for their upcoming journey on a deep and meaningful level.

Find the courage and your purpose to travel

Overcome your resistances and fears

Improve the way you deal with uncertainties and challenges

Connect with other travellers

Start your Adventure

Positive and humanistic psychology

Adventure based learning

Gestalt work and systemics

Nature Education Intercultural psychology

Theater and Dance Education

Bodywork / Embodiment

Mindfulness Research

Various experience-based coaching techniques

Other non-formal learning methods

Games

The training integrates approaches, methods and exercises from various fields. The participants will collect experiences through the levels: mind, emotions and body – in order to create a holistic experience. We will use approaches and methods from the following areas:

About our methodology

Our participants

You are older than 18 years.

You are someone who hears the calling to travel / to go on a sabbatical but your resistances have kept you from going on your journey so far.

OR you are planning to go travelling soon and you would like to prepare your journey on a deeper and more conscious level.

You are enthusiastic, motivated, open to new challenges and experiences.

You're able to speak basic English.

Find the courage to follow your calling to travel.

Overcome your resistances and fears.

Improve the way you deal with uncertainties and challenges.

Increase your openness towards the unknown.

Improve your intercultural competences.

Find your travel purpose.

Gain more (travel) self-confidence.

Deeply exchange and connect with people from different countries.

Have fun while increasing your creativity.

Be flexible and playful.

Get a taste of what travelling can feel like.

What you can get out of it

Veronika Mercks

My name is Veronika and I was born in 1988 in Berlin. Since I was young I have loved to create creative spaces of learning and experiences for others. Actually, I learnt the most in those moments of my life, where I didn’t sit in any class room, but when I did something practical, when I experienced life and when I traveled. I was searching for my own path in life for quite some time until I realized that I want to be part in creating the way we learn through experiences. I love travelling, personal development, intercultural understanding and non-formal education. After having worked in a school and my journey through Africa and India for 8,5 months I felt a clear calling: To create the initiative Navigaia Journeys, to support, inspire people on their inner and outer journeys. That is why I am excited to co-create the EnCourage Training, because I believe in the tremendous impact that individual travelling can have for us and our society.

My formal experiences and qualifications:

Albert Poetzsch

Christian Walker

Meet the trainers

My name is Christian Walker and I was born in 1987 in Madrid. Since I was young I have been exposed to two very different cultures, Spanish and English. I am bilingual and this has made it easy for me to travel, to study abroad and get to experience different cultures. This has undoubtedly shaped who I am. During the last 5 years, I have been related to non-formal education and it is now my passion. I have experienced first hand what an impact this can have in young people and I am privileged to be developing my skills as a facilitator, trainer and coach. Recently, I took on another adventure, to do an EVS in Belgium where I can say that I have combined my studies and my experience as an animator. I am myself on a journey, the journey of my life and feel more empowered than ever before. This is a huge motivator to transmit my own learnings to others and to empower the young generations to take control and ownership of their own lives. All this, has brought me until now when I feel honoured to be co-creating such an amazing project with an amazing team.

My formal experiences and qualifications:

My name is Albert, born 1988 in Romania and grew up in Germany I started travelling from an early age on. During my life, I moved a lot and travelled to many countries which allowed me to create a feeling of being free in the world and independent. Many opportunities and life experiences came with this journeys which enriched my life and showed me who I am and also though me that I can become who I want to be and create a life according to my terms. After travelling through South and Central America for six months I realized how valuable these experiences were for me and how many people have the desire but limit themselves to go on such adventures. At this moment I embarked on another journey, educating myself to support people to follow their desires. This journey led me here where I can put all my skills and knowledge in into this training to get you where you want to be.

My formal experiences and qualifications:

Bachelor in Sociology and Criminology

Facilitator of Intercultural Workshops

Volunteer work at YFU FlandersTraining course on Coaching Skills

Animator in different environments

Several living abroad and travelling experiences

Bachelor in Public Management (Germany / France)

Master in Intercultural Communication (Spain / England)

Further Qualification in Design Thinking (Germany)

Co-founder of the educational NGO Weitblick Berlin e.V.

Working experiences in different NGO

2 years working experiences in a as a Teach First Fellow

Certified Yoga-Hatha teacher

Coaching Certification at Olde Vechte Foundation

Coaching and training experiences

Several living abroad and traveling experiences

Founding of the educational initiative Navigaia Journeys

Bachelor in Biology (Germany/ United Kingdom)

Master of Business Administration (Germany)

Certification in Systemic Coaching (Germany)

Coaching accreditation through the European Coaching and Mentoring Council (in the process) (Croatia)

Trainer and coach certification at the Olde Vechte foundation (Netherlands)

NLP Practitioner and Master (in the process) (Romania)

Several experiences as trainer, co-trainer, team and training supervisor in Erasmus+ Projects

Several living abroad and traveling experiences

My name is Żaklina, born 1987 and I grew up in Poland and Germany. Since my early age I was given the challenge to learn about those very different cultures. Back then I didn’t expect that this was just the foretaste of my nomad-life later on. For quite a while I was searching for a ‘formal path´ until I needed to admit to myself that I am lover of adventure, encounters of people, and the ongoing personal development. Through divers intercultural projects, my constant curiosity of the unknown and the passion for languages, kept me moving a lot in many countries, which gave me the opportunity to collect experience of incredible value. During the last 4 years I lived and travelled through Latin America, which enriched my life and changed my perspective of learning processes. I am truly convinced that everything in life is possible! That's why I am supporting people, who have the courage of confronting their own fears and living the life they dream of. It's a beautiful journey - start it now!

My formal experiences and qualifications:

Żaklina Scholz

Bachelor in Cultural Studies / Culture Management / Slavistic

Further Qualification in International Cultural-Event-Management

Working experiences in international film, photography and music festivals, integration and development cooperation projects (Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, Poland, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Germany)

We believe in a solidary paying system. The price you're paying only covers the prime costs as we are a social initiative. After the training you can decide if you want to support our work through a donation. As we get supported by the NGO "Ideen Hoch Drei e.V.", your donation will be also tax-deductable.

Donation system

Navigaia Journeys

Navigaia Journeys accompanies, inspires and supports people on their inner and outer journeys. Through experienced based and holistic trainings, events and inspiration, we create the possibility to develop personally through the topic of traveling. Navigaia Journeys unfolds potentials, encourages new ways, expands horizons, strengthens self-esteem and awakens curiosity about the facets of our world and life itself. We encourage to travel individually and we wish that traveling experiences become more accessible for a higher number of people. We furthermore want to inspire to travel cultural sensitive, responsible and consciously.